Self-closing mouthpiece for bags or pouches



Nave 4 W. E. SHERHDAN SELF CLOSING MOUTHPIECE FOR BAGS OR POUCHES Filed Aug. 18, 1922 IN V E N TOR.

zfl-mzjamda Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. SHERIDAN, 05 EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SELF-CLOSING MOUTHIPIECE FOKR BAGS OR PO'UGI-IES.

Application filed August 18, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. SHERI- DAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Closing "lrlouthpieces for Bags or Pouches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates, generally, to improvements in self-closing mouthpieces for bags; and the present invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel and simlpy constructed means in the form of a self-closing mouthpiece, which is readily applicable to the shirred mouth-portion of the usual or standard size of textile bag or pouch containing smoking tobacco, and which may be detached from the bag or pouch, when the contents of the same has been consumed, so as to be applied to the mouth of another bag or pouch containing a fresh supply of tobacco.

The present invention, therefore, has for its principal object to provide a self-closing mouthpiece of the character hereinafter more fully described, and which is applicable to the shirred openings of bags or pouches, containing tobacco, or the like, for the purpose herein-above stated.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

With the various objects of the said in- I vention in view, the invention consists,

primarily, in the novel self-closing means for shirred bags or pouches, of the general character and construction more fully described in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claims which are appended to the said specification, and which form an essential part of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag or pouch, showing its shirred open portion, in which is disposed and secured therein by Serial No. 582,589.

means of a shir-string, a self-closing mouthpiece made according to and embodying the principles: of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a top-end view of the same, with the mouthpiece shown closed.

Figures 8 and 4 are two face views of a bag or pouch, showing the mouth portion of the bag or pouch and the self-closing mouthpiece therein, respectively, in transverse and longitudinal vertical section.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the said above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, the reference-character 1 inclicates a bag or pouch made of any suitable material, and 2 is the usual shirred mouthportion or opening of the same, which is provided with the usual shir-strings 3 the projecting ends of which are designated by the reference-characters 4, i.

Suitably disposed in said mouth-portion or opening 2, and secured in position by the saidstrings 3 and their knotted ends 4, is the herein-above mentioned self-closing mouthpiece.

This mouthpiece comprises a main body 5, made of soft rubber, or other similar material, and is of an elongated or ellipsoidal configuration, substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.

As represented in Figures 3 and 4: of the drawings, the said body is made with inwardly tapering depressions 6 and 7, extending, respectively, from the oppositely disposed fiat faces or surface-portions 8 and 9 of the said body 5, the tapering surfaces, which form said depressions 6 and 7, which meet, longitudinally of the body of said mouthpiece, as at 10, providing a suitable slit, the purpose of which will presently be more fully described.

Externally and centrally disposed between the said flat faces or surface-portions 8 and 9, the said body 5 is made with a suitably shaped annular groove, as 11.

As will be evident from an inspection of the several figures of the drawings, after the mouth-portion or opening 2 of the bag or pouch has been suitably opened, the body 5 is inserted in said opening 2 in such a manner that the shirred part of the bag or pouch is brought into registration with the annular groove 11, and the shir or drawstrings are drawn sufficiently tight, and the ends of the strings then tied or knotted, so

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that the said body 5 is inseparably secured in place in the mouth-portion or opening 2 of the bag or pouch, as will be clearly evident.

When thus secured in place, under normal initial conditions, the said mouth-piece assumes the closing relation represented in said Figures 2, 3 and 4: of the drawings, but when pressure is applied at its narrow end-portions, as indicated in Figure 1, then the parts adjacent to the slit becomes sutficiently separated, in the manner shown in said Figure 1, to permit of discharging the contents of the bag or pouch through the opening thus made.

As soon as the pressure is released from said narrow end-portions, the resiliency of the said body 5 thereupon automatically causes the parts to resume their normal initial positions, so that the mouth-portion or opening of the bag or pouch is again securely closed, and any danger of spilling the contents of the bag or pouch cannot take lace.

It will of course be understood that my present invention is capable of slight modifications, and I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations, as well as in the details of the construction of the said parts, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the clauses of the claims which are appended thereto. Hence, i do not limit my present invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said parts as described in the said specification, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim V 1. A self-closing mouthpiece for bags or pouches comprising a substantially thin body of a resilient material, the opposite face-portions of said body being flat, and having oppositely located depressions bounded by inwardly tapering surface-portions meeting centrally within said body, and normally in contact to provide a closing slit, said meeting portions being separable so as and normally in contact to'provide a closing slit, said meeting portions being separable so as to provide an opening, when pressure is applied upon opposite points of said body, and a'receiving channel formed in the external marginal surface of the said body.

3. A self-closing mouthpiece for bags or pouches comprising a substantiallythin and elongated body of a resilient material, the opposite face-portions of said body being flat, and having oppositely located depressions bounded by inwardly tapering surfaceportions meeting centrally within said body, and normally in contact to provide a longitudinally extending closing slit, said meeting portions being separable so as to provide an opening, when pressure is applied upon the narrow end-portions of said body.

t. A self-closing mouthpiece for bags or pouches comprising a substantially thin and elongated body of a resilient material, the

opposite face-portions of said body being flat, and having oppositely located depres-e sions bounded by inwardly taperingsurface portions meeting centrally within said body, and normally in contact to provide a longitudinally extending closing slit, said meeting portions being separable so as to provide an opening, when pressure is applied upon the narrow end-portions of said body, and a receiving channel formed in the external marginal surface of the said body.. 7

1n testimony that I claim the invention setforth above 1 have hereunto set my hand.

this 17th day-of August, l922.

WILLIAM SHERIDAN. lVitnesses EVA E. DESCI-I, GEORGE D. RICHARDS. 

